Load bearing device including overload indicator

ABSTRACT

Load-bearing devices, each including an overload indicator of the present invention interconnecting load bearing connectors, preferably elongated load bearing connectors are provided. In preferred embodiments, the load bearing connectors are chains, ropes, wire ropes, cables, straps and the like, preferably chain. The overload indicator includes a link having a strand of wire form material. The strand of wire form material having first and second portions, the first portion having a first strength; the second portion including a weaker segment having a second strength which is less than the first strength. The weaker segment preferably has a generally predetermined load bearing capacity or capability and is calibrated to reduce the load bearing capacity or capability of the overload indicator. Methods of making an overload indicator and a load bearing device including an overload indicators of the present invention are also disclosed.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/255,496, filed Oct. 20, 2005, and entitled Load Bearing Device Including Overload Indicator, which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/460,903, filed Jun. 13, 2003 and, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/388,881, filed Jun. 14, 2002, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chain and other elongated lifting and load-bearing devices such as rope, wire rope, cables, straps and the like are often used either intentionally or unintentionally up to and beyond their rated load-bearing capacity or working capacity. When chain and the like are used in this way, and the rated capacity is exceeded, the chain or other lifting or load-bearing elongated devices may fail. When the failure occurs, other damage may be associated with the event and, in certain circumstances, there are attempts to recover damages based upon liability associated with failure of the chain or other load bearing devices. In these circumstances, it would be helpful to determine whether the rated load bearing capacity for the chain or other elongated lifting or load bearing device has been exceeded; if so, it is believed that the failure to stay within the rated load bearing capacity will provide important exculpatory evidence for use in defending claims of liability against manufacturers of the chain or other load bearing devices.

For that reason, it is believed that a device for incorporation into, or for use in association with, a chain or other elongated load bearing device would have value in the industry if it was capable of indicating when the rated load bearing capacity or working capacity of the chain or other elongated load bearing device is exceeded. While devices that indicate load exist, these devices are relatively cumbersome and either awkward to use or so expensive as to make use as an indicator of exceeded load bearing capacity impractical for commercial uses.

While load cells are a possibility, they are relatively expensive and they also generally require a source of electricity. Incorporation of such an indication device into an elongated load-bearing device such as a rope, chain or other simple load bearing device is believed to be impractical unless the cost of such devices can be significantly reduced and the challenge of providing electricity to the device is resolved simply and effectively.

The present invention provides simple and reliable solutions to these and other problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a load bearing device calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by a load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity or rating established for the load bearing device. The load bearing device includes first and second load bearing connectors interconnected by an overload indicator. The overload indicator is calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device. The overload indicator is a link preferably a modified quick link or a modified welded link. The link preferably includes a strand of wire form material having first and second ends, the first and second ends defining a gap between the respective first and second ends. The preferred modified quick link will further include a disconnectable connector connecting the first and second ends of the strand of wire form material to form a continuous loop, when the connector is connected to each of the respective first and second ends. The strand of wire form material includes a first portion having a first thickness containing a first amount of wire form material in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the strand; the first portion being adjacent to a second portion including a diminished segment having a second amount of wire form material in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the strand which is less than the first amount of wire form material; wherein the diminished segment of the second amount of wire form material is calibrated in such a manner as to establish a projected load, which, when borne by the overload indicator, will create a sufficient force to break the overload indicator proximate the diminished segment.

In preferred embodiments, a load bearing device of the present invention includes a safety loop interconnecting the first and second load bearing connectors, so that a secondary load bearing alternative is provided if the overload indicator, which bears the load borne by the respective load bearing connectors, breaks. The safety loop will then bear the load, unless the load exceeds the load which can be borne by the safety loop. In other embodiments, the overload indicator is marked with a serial number to identify it. In preferred embodiments, a load bearing connector may also be marked with a serial number so that the overload indicator attached to the particular load bearing device made by the manufacturer can be correlated to help manufacturers determine whether the load bearing device has been manipulated by the consumer in any way to hide evidence of an excessive load exceeding the rated capacity of the load bearing device or the overload indicator.

A wire form load indicator is provided for interconnection of load bearing connectors, preferably elongated load bearing connectors, having connection loops for bearing a load. In preferred embodiments, the load bearing connectors are chains, ropes, wire ropes, wires, cables and the like, preferably chain. The wire form overload indicator preferably includes a wire form chain-link having a first thickness, first and second elongated sides and rounded ends. The first elongated side preferably includes an interconnectable gap through which connection loops of the load bearing connectors can pass when the interconnectable gap is unconnected. The interconnectable gap preferably includes a connection end and a connectable end, the connecting end having a turnable connector capable of connecting the connecting end to the connectable end to close the gap. In preferred embodiments, the connectable end is threaded and the connector has reciprocating threads capable of receiving the threaded connectable end in order to interconnect the respective ends by “screwing” the turnable connector on to the threaded connectable end, close the gap and complete the loop in the chain-link. The second elongated side preferably has a portion having a diminished thickness as compared to the first thickness. The diminished thickness preferably has a predetermined load bearing capability and is calibrated to reduce the load bearing capability of the overload indicator, as compared to the load bearing capability of a chain length and each chain-link in the chain length having a generally consistent thickness equivalent to the first thickness, wherein the predetermined load bearing capability of the diminished thickness is calibrated so that if the overload indicator breaks apart proximate the diminished thickness, such breakage will indicate that the load borne by the overload indicator exceeds the predetermined load bearing capacity of the diminished thickness.

The present overload indicator has been designed with the objective of providing manufacturers with an indicator capable of providing warning to the user of a load bearing device regarding the rated capacity of the load bearing device and post-failure evidence of a load exceeding the rated load bearing capacity of a chain or other elongated load bearing devices. The present overload indicator can have a diminished thickness which is calibrated to provide for predetermined breakage when bearing a load in excess of any of a number of rated load bearing capacities for any number of different chains or elongated load bearing devices.

In an alternative embodiment, the overload indicator is preferably a modified welded link. In preferred alternative embodiments, the load bearing device of the present invention includes a safety loop interconnecting first and second load bearing connectors so that a secondary load bearing alternative is provided if the overload indicator, which bears the load borne by the respective load bearing connectors, breaks. As discussed above, the safety loop will bear the load unless the load exceeds the load which can be borne by the safety loop. In these alternative embodiments, the overload indicator is preferably marked with a serial number to identify it. In preferred embodiments, one or two of the load bearing connectors are also marked with a serial number so that the overload indicator attached to the particular load bearing device made by the manufacturer can be correlated with the respective connectors to help manufacturers determine whether the load bearing device has been manipulated by the consumer in any way to hide evidence of an excessive load exceeding the rated capacity of the load bearing device or the overload indicator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, in which like reference numerals and letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

FIG. 1 shows an alternate load bearing device 2 including an overload indicator 8 of the present invention having a diminished thickness at notch 30 on a first elongated side 12;

FIG. 2 shows a further alternate overload indicator 8 a, similar to that shown in FIG. 1, but having a diminished thickness B (See FIG. 3) at notch 30 a that is less diminished as compared to the uniform thickness A of the strand 10, than the diminished thickness at notch 30 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the overload indicator 8 a shown in FIG. 2, showing a diminished thickness B of the strand 10 of wire form material in the area of notch 30 a;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show a series of strands 10 of alternate overload indicators of the type shown in FIG. 2, except that the thickness of the respective strands 10 at the respective notches 30 b, 30 c, 30 d varies as does the amount of wire form material remaining in the respective strands 10 in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the respective strands 10 at the narrowest point created by the respective notches 30 b, 30 c, 30 d;

FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 show additional strands 10 of wire form material of overload indicators of the type shown in FIG. 2, except that the amount of wire form material through a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the respective strands are diminished by removing wire form material from the respective strand by drilling a variable hole 36 a, 36 b, 36 c, 36 d, 36 e, 36 f through the respective strands so that the load bearing capacity of each respective overload indicator will also vary according to the amount of wire form material remaining in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the respective strand 10 at the center of the respective hole;

FIG. 13 shows a portion of a strand 10 of an alternate overload indicator having an alternate notch 30″ consisting of a v-cut;

FIG. 14 shows a portion of a strand 10 of an alternate overload indicator having an alternate notch 30′″ consisting of a saw-cut;

FIGS. 15A and 15B show a prior art quick link 9 shown in a connected configuration in FIG. 15A and an unconnected configuration in FIG. 15B;

FIGS. 16 A, B, C and D show graphical representations of data reported in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, and FIG. 16E provides a further graphical representation of data reported in Table 3;

FIG. 17 shows an alternate load bearing device 102 including an alternate overload indicator 108 of the present invention;

FIG. 18 shows a further alternate overload indicator 108 a, similar to that shown in FIG. 16, but having a diminished thickness D (See FIG. 19) at notch 130 a that is less diminished as compared to the uniform thickness C of the strand 110, than the diminished thickness at notch 130 shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of a portion of the alternate overload indicator 108 a shown in FIG. 18, showing a diminished thickness D of the strand 110 of wire form material in the area of the notch 130 a;

FIGS. 20, 21 and 22 show a series of strands 110 of alternate overload indicators of the type shown in FIG. 18, except that the thickness of the respective strands 110 at the respective notches 130 b, 130 c, 130 d varies as does the amount of wire form material remaining in the respective strands 110 in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the respective strands 110 at the narrowest point created by the respective notches 130 b, 130 c, 130 d;

FIGS. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 show additional strands 110 of wire form material of alternate overload indicators of the type shown in FIG. 18, except that the amount of wire form material through a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the respective strands are diminished by removing wire form material from the respective strand by drilling a variable hole 136 a, 136 b, 136 c, 136 d, 136 e, 136 f through each of the respective strands so that the load bearing capacity of each respective alternate overload indicator 108 will also vary according to the amount of wire form material remaining in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the respective strand 110 at the center of the respective hole;

FIG. 29 shows a portion of a strand 110 of an alternate overload indicator having an alternate notch 130″ consisting of a v-cut;

FIG. 30 shows a portion of a strand 110 of an alternate overload indicator having an alternate notch 130′″ consisting of a saw-cut; and

FIGS. 31A and B show graphical representation of data reported in Tables 5 and 6, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, a load bearing device 2 of the present invention having first and second load bearing connectors 4, 6 interconnected by an overload indicator 8 to create a three-link safety loop 11 is shown. The preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a chain 2 including a modified quick link 9. Referring now also to FIG. 2, the overload indicator 8 of the present invention is preferably made from a modified quick link 9 in which an amount of wire form material in a segment or a portion of a strand 10 of wire form material of the quick link 9 is diminished in one of a number of ways that result in a strand of wire form material that has a segment where the strand is weaker than in other segments of the strand and is therefore projected to break in this segment containing the diminished amount of material. The strand 10 of wire form material, including first and second elongated sides 12, 14, and a connector portion 16, in this embodiment, preferably a disconnectable threaded connector, that is threadably secured to a reciprocally threaded connectable end 24 of the strand of wire form material. It will be appreciated that the overload indicator 8 can be effectively interconnected to any two chain links in a chain that are not otherwise interconnected by a single chain link, thereby creating a safety loop of at least two links, preferably three and any greater number than three except as may be limited by cost and other practical concerns.

Referring now also to FIGS. 3-6, it will be appreciated that one of the ways a segment of the strand 10 of wire form material can be diminished to form a modified quick link 9 is to machine one of the elongated sides 12 to form a rounded notch 30 a, 30 b, 30 c, 30 d, as shown. The strand 10 has a generally uniform thickness A, which is measurable through a cross-section of the strand 10 generally perpendicular to the length of the elongated side 12. The thickness B of the strand 10 at the notch 30 a can also be measured in a similar manner and it will be less than the thickness A of the other segments of the strand 10. In preferred embodiments, the thickness of the notch 30 will be less than about 70% of the thickness of the other segments of the strand 10.

Referring now also to FIGS. 7-12, such an elongated side 12 may also be drilled out, preferably in the center of the wire form material to form openings or holes 36 a, 36 b, 36 c, 36 d, 36 e, 36 f. The thickness A′ of the strand 10 is generally measured across a cross-section of the strand 10 perpendicular to the length of the elongated side 12 of the strand 10. The thickness of the remaining material on either side of the hole or opening 136 is determined by measuring the inside diameter B′ of the respective hole and subtracting that from the thickness A′ of the strand 10 to determine the thickness of the remaining material.

In yet further embodiments, further notches in the elongated sides 12 will also diminish the amount of wire form material in the diminished segment of the strand 10. Referring now also to FIGS. 13 and 14, a V-shaped notch 30″ made by a machining tool such as a mini-broach or the like may also be provided (see e.g. in FIG. 13), as can a saw-cut notch 30′″ made by a saw blade (see e.g. in FIG. 14). The thickness B″, B′″ of the respective notches 30″, 30′″ and the thickness A″, A′″ of the strand 10′ in each case are measured in the same manner as discussed above in relation to the overload indicators 8 a-8 d discussed in relation to FIGS. 2-6. It will be appreciated that other ways of reducing the material present in the strand 10 of wire form material may be employed so long as the amount of wire form material is reduced as compared to an adjacent segment of the strand 10. While machining and cutting may be used, it will also be appreciated that the strand of wire form material could be formed to have a diminished amount of wire form material in one segment as compared with the other segments that had a greater amount of material. In this way, a diminished segment could be created without machining or cutting the strand in any way.

Depending on the amount of material present, the thickness of the remaining material, or any other measure of diminished material presence that correlates with break strength, it is believed that the modified quick links 9 or overload indicators 8 can be calibrated based on a measure of this diminished material to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device 2 that exceeds a load bearing capacity or noting established for the load bearing device 2.

Referring now also to FIGS. 15A and 15B, the overload indicator 8 of the present invention is preferably made from a quick link 9 of the type shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B. Quick links of this type are commercially available from Mizumoto Machine Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Himeji-City, Japan and elsewhere. Although quick links of various kinds are available in the market place, the strands of wire form material in such products are generally made from SAE 1008 steel containing 0.08% carbon content. The quick link 9 has a strand 10 of wire form material, including first and second elongated sides 12, 14, and a connector portion 16 that is secured to a connecting end 22 of the strand of wire form material. At the other end of the strand 10 of the quick link 9 is a connectable end 24, including a threaded exterior surface 25. The connecting end 22 and the connectable end 24 define a gap in the strand 10 which is bridged when the connector 16 is secured to the connectable end 24 by securing reciprocating threads 26 of the connector portion 16 to the threaded exterior surface 15 of the connectable end 24. Quick links of this kind are well known in the art. It will be appreciated that the connector portion 16 is secured to the connectable end 24 by rotating the connector portion 16 so that the threaded exterior surface 25 of the connectable end 24 becomes engaged with the reciprocating threads 26 of the connector portion 16.

Referring now also to FIGS. 2-6, an alternate load bearing device of the present invention may include any one of a series of overload indicators 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d in which the strand 10 of the quick link 9 is diminished by creating a notch 30 a, 30 b, 30 c, 30 d in the strand 10 to diminish the thickness of the strand and diminish the amount of wire form material in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the strand through the narrowest portion of the strand 10 at the respective notch 30 a, 30 b, 30 c, 30 d. This narrowing of the thickness of the strand, or, in an alternate embodiment discussed below, the reduction in the amount of wire form material in the strand 10, is believed to reduce the strength of the strand 10 at the point of this narrowing or reduction of material so as to create a weakness in the strand 10 where the strand 10 will break in a predictable manner, when exposed to loads which exceed the load bearing capacity of the strand 10. This load bearing capacity can be calibrated as discussed below in order to provide an overload indicator 8 which will indicate that an established load bearing capacity for a particular load bearing device 2 including an overload indicator 8 has been exceeded when such a load bearing device 2 is exposed to an excessive load.

Although the load bearing device shown in FIG. 1 is essentially a chain having a series of chain links and an overload indicator 8 of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the load bearing connectors 4, 6 may also be made of other load bearing connectors such as cables, straps, ropes, wire ropes and the like that are interconnected with the overload indicator of the present invention. Although not required, the safety loop 11 shown in FIG. 1 is preferred. Any number of equivalent safety loops may be used in association with alternate load bearing devices including safety loops made from ropes, wire ropes, cables, straps and the like that are secured to the respective load bearing connectors to secure them if the overload indicator is exposed to an excessive load and subsequently breaks following such exposure.

Referring now also to FIGS. 13 and 14, the notch 30 of the present invention may be a narrowing in the strand 10 of a quick link created by a grinding device of one type or another or by any other type of device that will remove material to either create a narrowing in the strand or simply reduce the amount of wire form material in a certain thickness of the strand 10 of a quick link. In FIGS. 13 and 14, two somewhat different notches, 30″ and 30′″, are shown. These notches are a v-cut notch 30″ and a saw-cut notch 30′″. In each case, the amount of material at the narrowest point of the respective notch is reduced, thereby reducing the breaking force required to break the strand at the respective notch. In the present application, the term “notch” means a narrowing in a strand of wire form material. The narrowing may be created either by cutting away existing material in a pre-formed strand of wire form material, or, alternately, by creating a strand of wire form material having a narrowing.

Referring now also to FIGS. 7-12, the overload indicator 8 of the present invention may also include a segment of a strand 10 of wire form material in which the amount of wire form material in a horizontal plane passing through the strand 10 of wire form material is reduced by drilling a hole 36 or otherwise creating an opening 36 in the strand 10 of wire form material. In this way, the amount of wire form material in this particular strand of wire form material is reduced so as to reduce the breaking force required to break the strand at this particular segment. It will be appreciated that a series of openings or holes, having a variety of shapes, may be created in a strand of wire form material to reduce the amount of material in the strand, thereby reducing the breaking force required to break the strand. In each case, it is believed that the amount of force required to break the strand 10 at the point at which the amount of wire form material in the strand is reduced can be calibrated so as to create a predictable breaking force that will break the strand when such a force is borne by the strand. In this way, a series of overload indicators 8 may be created, calibrated and used to provide an indication of the exposure of a load bearing device to a load which exceeds an established load bearing capacity for the particular load bearing device 2. It will be appreciated, that load bearing devices of the present invention, each of which include an overload indicator of the present invention, will provide an indication to manufacturers when their load bearing devices have been misused by purchasers. In particular, if a load bearing device having a specific load bearing rating is used and exposed to a load greater than the established load bearing capacity for which the load bearing device is rated, the overload indicator will break, providing clear evidence of its exposure to a load exceeding the established load bearing capacity.

Furthermore, as noted in FIGS. 1 and 2, in preferred embodiments, the overload indicator will also include a serial number 40 which is etched, stamped or otherwise imprinted on the load bearing device. The same serial number will also be secured to the respective load bearing connectors 4, 6, so that upon failure of the overload indicator, efforts to replace the overload indicator with a different overload indicator can be monitored and detected.

As indicated above, the overload indicator 8 will have a serial number 40 to identify the particular overload indicator 8. In preferred embodiments, the load bearing connector may also have a serial number 40 so that the load bearing device may be identified and correlated with the particular overload indicator 8 interconnecting the respective load bearing connectors of the load bearing device with the overload indicator actually incorporated in the device by the manufacturer. It will be appreciated that utilizing these serial numbers will provide manufacturers with information to help control tampering by users following exposure of a load bearing device 2 or overload indicator 8 to a load which exceeds the working capacity or rated capacity set for the particular indicator 8 or device 2.

In preferred embodiments, the strand 10 of wire form material used to make the quick link 9 for modification to be an overload indicator 8, will be made of steel containing at least about 0.12% carbon, preferably at least about 0.16% carbon, most preferably about 0.22% carbon and sufficiently heat treated to raise the tensile strength of the overload indicator 8 to that sufficient to meet tensile strength requirements for inclusion in an overhead chain load bearing device in the United States of America. It will be appreciated that heat treating is an art that is well known and that those of skill in the art can achieve the goal they wish to achieve when they are asked to heat treat a higher carbon steel of the type discussed. Heat treating generally involves heating the steel to a temperature of at least about 1600 degrees F. or until the steel is “red hot”. The heat is then quickly dissipated, by placing the steel in a cooler liquid to “quench” the heat. The steel is then tempered by heating the steel again. Each type of steel is treated somewhat differently, however. Many approaches may be taken, most of which are well know in the art.

The present overload indicator 8 preferably includes first and second elongated sides 12, 14 and a connector portion 16, interconnected with a connecting end 22 of the overload indicator, preferably for threadable connection to a connectable end 24 of the overload indicator to close a gap (not shown), which exists between the connecting end 22 and the connectable end 24 of the overload indicator 8. In preferred embodiments, the overload indicator will have a notch 30 in the second elongated side that creates a narrowing in the wire formed material which reduces the strength of the material and the load bearing capacity of the material at that point. The amount of material that is removed in creating the notch may be varied and the amount of material which remains will correlate with the amount of the load bearing capacity of the preferred overload indicator.

In alternate embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 17-28, the overload indicator 108 may be an ordinary welded chain link, as opposed to a quick link, diminished in the respective manners discussed herein. The step of diminishing the amount of material in a portion of the strand of wire form material may occur either before or after the chain link is welded our otherwise secured within the load bearing device 102 (See discussion below).

Example 1

Quarter-inch commercially available quick links made from low carbon steel (SAE 1008 STEEL or the equivalent) were machined to create notches of various depths generally in the center of the side of the quick link opposite the connector to form overload indicators of the present invention. These modified quick link samples were incorporated into load bearing devices by connecting them to a 7 MM grade 70 chain having a rated load bearing capacity of 3,150 pounds. The overload indicators were connected to the chain to become a load bearing component between two connecting links of separate load bearing connectors separated by three links of the chain that no longer bore the load and became the safety loop connected to the two connecting links of the load bearing connectors. The thickness of the remaining wire form material at the narrowest point at the bottom of the notch was measured using an optical comparator. The load bearing devices made with each of the respective overload indicator samples was tested to determine its peak load by placing a continuously increasing load upon each load bearing sample using a Satec Tensile Strength Tester. The data for breaking strength was plotted against remaining material thickness at the notch to generate a best fit line showing the relationship between break strength and remaining material thickness at the notch. The correlation coefficient for the line relative to the data was determined to be 0.9947 which was believed to be acceptable. The data is reported in Table 1 and a plot of the data reported in Table 1 is shown in FIG. 16A.

TABLE 1 Material Thickness as Break a percent Strength Material (%) of Original (breaking Thickness at Diameter force) Test No. Notch (inches) (dia.) (LBS) Break Type 1 0.179 76% 6004 End Shear 2 0.150 64% 4877 Notch Shear 3 0.088 37% 3180 Notch Shear 4 0.078 33% 2885 Notch Shear

Example 2

Quarter-inch commercially available quick links made from SAE 1008 steel were cut with a saw blade to create notches of various depths and to diminish the wire form material generally in the center of the side of the quick link opposite the connector to form overload indicators of the present invention. These modified quick link samples were incorporated into load bearing devices by connecting them to a 7 MM grade 70 chain having a rated load bearing capacity of 3,150 pounds. The overload indicators were connected to the chain to become a load bearing component between two connecting links of separate load bearing connectors separated by three links of the chain that no longer bore the load and became the safety loop connected to the two connecting links of the load bearing connectors. The thickness of the remaining wire form material at the narrowest point at the bottom of the notch was measured using an optical comparator. The load bearing devices made with each of the respective overload indicator samples was tested to determine its peak load by placing a continuously increasing load upon each load bearing sample using a Satec Tensile Strength Tester. The data for breaking strength was plotted against remaining material thickness at the notch to generate a best fit line showing the relationship between break strength and remaining material thickness at the notch. The correlation coefficient for the line relative to the data was determined to be 0.9963 which was believed to be acceptable. The data is reported in Table 2 and a plot of the data reported in Table 2 is shown in FIG. 16 B. It is believed that correlation coefficient will begin to fall off when sample overload indicators have notches where less than about 25% of the original material thickness is diminished.

TABLE 2 ¼″ QUICK LINK TESTING MATERIAL % OF ORIGINAL NOTCH NOTCH NOTCH ORIGINAL THICKNESS BREAKING MATERIAL n WIDTH DEPTH RADIUS WIRE DIA. AT NOTCH FORCE THICKNESS 1 0.1589 0.1058 0.0324 0.2402 0.1344 5,009 56% 2 0.1591 0.1026 0.0318 0.2402 0.1376 5,061 57% 3 0.1623 0.1048 0.0319 0.2401 0.1353 4,866 56% 4 0.2147 0.1527 0.0318 0.2405 0.0878 2,962 37% 5 0.2156 0.1494 0.0304 0.2404 0.0910 2,847 38% 6 0.2169 0.1552 0.0285 0.2408 0.0856 2,883 36% 7 0.2737 0.2013 0.0391 0.2401 0.0388 672 16% 8 0.2725 0.1987 0.0353 0.2400 0.0413 700 17% 9 0.2739 0.1980 0.0351 0.2401 0.0421 609 18%

Example 3

Commercially available quarter-inch quick links made from SAE 1008 steel were drilled generally through the center of the wire opposite the connector on the quick link with a series of drill bits of various sizes to determine a predicted hole size (diameter) that would result in a break at a project load of 3,150 lbs. The actual hole or opening size and the amount of remaining wire form material remaining on each side of the hole or opening were measured using an optical comparator. The peak load for each drilled quick link was measured by placing a continuously increasing load upon each drilled link sample using a Satec Tensile Strength Tester. The data for breaking strength was plotted against hole size to generate a best fit line showing the relationship between break strength and hole size. The correlation coefficient for the line relative to the data was determined to be 0.9470 which was believed to be acceptable. The equation for the line was y (break strength)=25,077×(hole diameter)+5889.6. This equation was used to determine a hole size projected to achieve a 3,150 lbs. peak load. The data is reported in Table 3 and a plot of the data reported in Table 3 is shown in FIG. 16 C. The projected hole size for a 3,150 lbs. load bearing capacity was a hole or opening having a 0.1092 inch diameter. It is generally believed that a 7/64ths inch drill bit will generally generate a hole having a diameter of 0.1094 inch. In order to confirm this result, six quarter-inch quick links made from SAE 1008 steel were drilled generally through the center of the wire opposite the connector on the quick link with a 7/64ths inch drill bit. The peak load for each of these samples was measured by placing a continuously increasing load upon each drilled link sample using a Satec Tensile Strength Tester as reported above. The data from these measurements is reported in Table 4 below and presented graphically in the bar graph shown in FIG. 16 D. The average of the six peak load measurements is within 2.016% of the target peak load. Peak load is also plotted against remaining material thickness, each reported in Table 3, in the graph shown in FIG. 16 E.

TABLE 3 Remaining Size of Drill Bit Actual Hole I.D. Material 2 sides Peak Load .100 DIA 0.094 0.122 3323 .120 DIA 0.118 0.113 2973 .140 DIA 0.141 0.105 2425 .160 DIA 0.159 0.086 2237 .180 DIA 0.181 0.072 1425 .200 DIA 0.198 0.043 611

TABLE 4 Target Working Specimen Load Gage Peak Limit Maximum Specimen Size of Sample Length Load (WLL) Elongation Identification Wire NO 1 1.83 3,337 3,150 36.27 HOLE BREAK ¼″ NO 1 1.83 3,542 3,150 38.04 HOLE BREAK ¼″ NO 3 1.83 3,093 3,150 37.22 HOLE BREAK ¼″ NO 4 1.83 3,134 3,150 37.64 HOLE BREAK ¼″ NO 5 1.83 3,149 3,150 35.22 HOLE BREAK ¼″ NO 6 1.83 3,026 3,150 49.22 HOLE BREAK ¼″ AVERAGE: 3,214 ST DEV: 191.5

A broken load measuring device (not shown) connected in-line to a segment of chain provides a lasting, visual indication that the rated capacity of the chain has been exceeded. It is connected directly to what would otherwise be adjacent links of a chain; or between a chain and a chain attachment, such as a clevis hook. The overload indicating link or overload indicator 8 is marked or labeled with the rated capacity of the chain.

People using chain for vehicle recovery, towing, logging, lifting and other load bearing applications often do not know when they are overloading, or exceeding the rated capacity, of the chain. Overloading a chain has often resulted in personal injury or property damage if the unaware and uninformed user continues to load the chain to its breaking point, due to industry and government standards for safety factors in the design and manufacture of chain, the yield point and ultimate tensile strength of an undamaged chain are both well above the rated capacity, or working load limit, of the chain. There is therefore, no visible indication to a user, such as elongation of the chain links, that the chain has been overloaded until the overload is in excess of the yield point and that much closer to ultimate failure. A related problem is that someone using a chain that could have been used by others does not typically know the condition or history of the chain, or the risk of using it. Various devices are available today to monitor the load on a chain. They are, however, frequently not used due to such drawbacks as cost, availability, complexity, and the need for signal processing equipment.

One objective of the present invention is to provide a versatile, rugged, load bearing, self contained warning device that presents a reliable and lasting visual signal, readily visible to a current or subsequent user, to indicate a chain has been overloaded beyond its rated capacity.

In a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the notch 30″ is a V-cut notch that is cut at a 45% angle to the surface of the elongated side 12 of strand 10 running parallel to the length of the strand 10.

Referring now to FIG. 17, a load bearing device 102 of the present invention having first and second load bearing connectors 104, 106 interconnected by an overload indicator 108 to create a three-link safety loop 111 is shown. The preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 17 is a chain 102 including a modified welded link 109.

Referring now also to FIG. 18, the overload indicator 108 of the present invention is preferably made from a modified welded link 109 in which an amount of wire form material in a segment or a portion of a strand 110 of wire form material of the welded link 109 is diminished in one of a number of ways that result in a strand of wire form material that has a segment where the strand is weaker than in other segments of the strand and is therefore projected to break in this segment containing the diminished amount of material. The strand 110 of wire form material includes first and second elongated sides 112, 114. It will be appreciated that the overload indicator 108 can be effectively interconnected to any two chain links in a chain that are not otherwise interconnected by a single chain link, thereby creating a safety loop of at least two links, preferably three and any greater number than three except as may be limited by cost and other practical concerns.

Referring now also to FIGS. 19-22, it will be appreciated that one of the ways a segment of the strand 110 of wire form material can be diminished to form a modified welded link 109 is to machine one of the elongated sides 112 to form a rounded notch 130 a, 130 b, 130 c, 130 d, as shown. The strand 110 has a generally uniform thickness C, which is measurable through a cross-section of the strand 110 generally perpendicular to the length of the elongated side 112. The thickness D of the strand 110 at the notch 130 a can also be measured in a similar manner and it will be less than the thickness C of the other segments of the strand 110. In preferred embodiments, the thickness of the notch 130 will be less than about 70% of the thickness of the other segments of the strand 110.

Referring now also to FIGS. 23-28, such an elongated side 112 may also be drilled out, preferably in the center of the wire form material to form openings or holes 136 a, 136 b, 136 c, 136 d, 136 e, 136 f. The thickness C′ of the strand 110 is generally measured across a cross-section of the strand 110 perpendicular to the length of the elongated side 112 of the strand 110. The thickness D′ of the remaining material on either side of the hole or opening 136 determined by measuring the inside diameter D′ of the respective hole and subtracting that from the thickness C′ of the strand 110 to determine the thickness of the remaining material.

In yet further embodiments, further notches in the elongated sides 112 will also diminish the amount of wire form material in the diminished segment of the strand 110. Referring now also to FIGS. 29 and 30, a V-shaped notch 130″ made by a machining tool such as a mini-broach or the like may also be included (see e.g. FIG. 29), as can a saw-cut notch 130′″ made by a saw blade (see e.g. FIG. 30). The thickness D″, D′″ of the respective notches 130″, 130′″ and the thickness C″, C′″ of the strand 110′ in each case are measured in the same manner as discussed above in relation to the overload indicators 108 a-108 d discussed in relation to FIGS. 18-22. It will be appreciated that other ways of reducing the material present in the strand 110 of wire form material may be employed so long as the amount of wire form material is reduced as compared to an adjacent segment of the strand 110. While machining and cutting may be used, it will also be appreciated that the strand of wire form material could be formed to have a diminished amount of wire form material in one segment as compared with the other segments that had a greater amount of material. In this way, a diminished segment could be created without machining or cutting the strand in any way.

Depending either on the amount of material present, the thickness of the remaining material, or any other measure of diminished material presence that correlates with break strength, it is believed that the modified welded links 109 or overload indicators 108 can be calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device 102 that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device 102.

Referring again to FIGS. 18-22, the preferred load bearing devices of the present invention may include any one of a series of overload indicators 108 a, 108 b, 108 c, 108 d in which the strand 110 of the welded link 109 is diminished by creating a notch 130 a, 130 b, 130 c, 130 d in the strand 110 to diminish the thickness of the strand and diminish the amount of wire form material in a perpendicular cross-section passing through a length of the strand through the narrowest portion of the strand 110 at the respective notch 130 a, 130 b, 130 c, 130 d. This narrowing of the thickness of the strand, or, in an alternate embodiment discussed below, the reduction in the amount of wire form material in the strand 110, is believed to reduce the strength of the strand 110 at the point of this narrowing or reduction of material so as to create a weakness in the strand 110 where the strand 110 will break in a predictable manner, when exposed to loads which exceed the load bearing capacity of the strand 110. This load bearing capacity can be calibrated as discussed below in order to provide an overload indicator 108 which will indicate that an established load bearing capacity for a particular load bearing device 102 including an overload indicator 108 has been exceeded when such a load bearing device 102 is exposed to an excessive load.

Although the load bearing device shown in FIG. 17 is essentially a chain having a series of chain links and an overload indicator 108 of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the load bearing connectors 104, 106 may also be made of other load bearing connectors such as cables, straps, ropes, wire ropes and the like that are interconnected with the overload indicator of the present invention. Although not required, the safety loop 111 shown in FIG. 17 is preferred. Any number of equivalent safety loops may be used in association with alternate load bearing devices including safety loops made from ropes, wire ropes, cables, straps and the like that are secured to the respective load bearing connectors to secure them if the overload indicator is exposed to an excessive load and subsequently breaks following such exposure.

Referring now also to FIGS. 29 and 30, the notch 130 of the present invention may be a narrowing in the strand 110 of a welded link created by a grinding device of one type or another or by any other type of device that will remove material to either create a narrowing in the strand or simply reduce the amount of wire form material in a certain thickness of the strand 110 of the welded link. In FIGS. 29 and 30, two somewhat different notches, 130″ and 130′″, are shown. These notches are a v-cut notch 130″ and a saw-cut notch 130′″. In each case, the amount of material at the narrowest point of the respective notch is reduced, thereby reducing the breaking force required to break the strand at the respective notch. In the present application, the term “notch” means a narrowing in a strand of wire form material. The narrowing may be created either by cutting away existing material in a pre-formed strand of wire form material, or, alternately, by creating a strand of wire form material having a narrowing.

Referring now also to FIGS. 7-12, the overload indicator 108 of the present invention may also include a segment of a strand 110 of wire form material in which the amount of wire form material in a horizontal plane passing through the strand 110 of wire form material is reduced by drilling a hole 136 or otherwise creating an opening 136 in the strand 110 of wire form material. In this way, the amount of wire form material in this particular strand of wire form material is reduced so as to reduce the breaking force required to break the strand at this particular segment. It will be appreciated that a series of openings or holes, having a variety of shapes, may be created in a strand of wire form material to reduce the amount of material in the strand, thereby reducing the breaking force required to break the strand. In each case, it is believed that the amount of force required to break the strand 110 at the point at which the amount of wire form material in the strand is reduced can be calibrated so as to create a predictable breaking force that will break the strand when such a force is borne by the strand. In this way, a series of overload indicators 108 may be created, calibrated and used to provide an indication of the exposure of a load bearing device to a load which exceeds an established load bearing capacity for the particular load bearing device 102. It will be appreciated, that a load bearing device 102, including an overload indicator of the present invention, will provide an indication to manufacturers when their load bearing devices have been misused by purchasers. In particular, if a load bearing device having a specific load bearing rating is used and exposed to a load greater than the established load bearing capacity for which the load bearing device is rated, the overload indicator will break, providing clear evidence of its exposure to a load exceeding the established load bearing capacity.

As noted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the overload indicator may also include a serial number 140 which is etched, stamped or otherwise imprinted on the load bearing device. The same serial number may also be secured to the respective load bearing connectors 104, 106, so that upon failure of the overload indicator, efforts to replace the overload indicator with a different overload indicator can be monitored.

As indicated above, the overload indicator 108 will have a serial number 140 to identify the particular overload indicator 108. In preferred embodiments, the load bearing connector may also have a serial number 140 so that the load bearing device may be identified and correlated with the particular overload indicator 108 interconnecting the respective load bearing connectors of the load bearing device with the overload indicator actually incorporated in the device by the manufacturer. It will be appreciated that utilizing these serial numbers will provide manufacturers with information to help control tampering by users following exposure of a load bearing device 102 or overload indicator 108 to a load which exceeds the working capacity or rated capacity set for the particular indicator 108 or device 102.

In preferred embodiments, the strand 110 of wire form material used to make the welded link 109 for modification to be an overload indicator 108, will be made of steel containing at least about 0.12% carbon, preferably at least about 0.16% carbon, most preferably about 0.22% carbon and sufficiently heat treated to raise the tensile strength of the overload indicator 108 to that sufficient to meet tensile strength requirements for inclusion in an overhead chain load bearing device in the United States of America. It will be appreciated that heat treating is an art that is well known and that those of skill in the art can achieve the goal they wish to achieve when they are asked to heat treat a higher carbon steel of the type discussed. Heat treating generally involves heating the steel to a temperature of at least about 1600 degrees F. or until the steel is “red hot”. The heat is then quickly dissipated, by placing the steel in a cooler liquid to “quench” the heat. The steel is then tempered by heating the steel again. Each type of steel is treated somewhat differently and many approaches may be taken, most of which are well know in the art.

The present overload indicator 108 preferably includes first and second elongated sides 112, 114 and a welded connector portion or welded portion 116 connecting the strand 110 to form a loop. In preferred embodiments, the overload indicator will have a notch 130 in the second elongated side that creates a narrowing in the wire formed material which reduces the strength of the material and the load bearing capacity of the material at that point. The amount of material that is removed in creating the notch may be varied and the amount of material which remains will correlate with the amount of the load bearing capacity of the preferred overload indicator.

Example 4

Commercially available carbon steel (SAE 1008 STEEL) chains were provided to make preferred overload indicators of the present invention. A single, formed only carbon steel “C” link is “woven” into each chain to link two different links that are separated by a three link “loop” similar to that shown in FIG. 17. The “C” link is crimped to bring the open ends together and the open ends are then welded to close the link and form a welded link having a connector portion that is a welded portion 116 (see FIG. 17) that is essentially the same as the other links, except that it connects links that are separated by three additional links in the chain. The closed and subsequently welded link is the saw cut a predetermined distance at the mid-point of the side of the claosed, welded link opposite to the welded side of that link. After the saw cut, the welded link will have a strand or side opposite the welded side or strand similar to the strand 110 shown in FIG. 30. The saw cuts are of various distances into the strand to form a series of load bearing devices of the present invention just like the load bearing device 102 shown in FIG. 17, except that the overload indicator will have a saw cut as shown in FIG. 30. The saw cut is machined to create notches of various depths generally in the center of the side of the welded link opposite the side having the weld. The thickness of the remaining wire form material at the saw cut notch is measured using an optical measuring device. The load bearing devices made with each of the respective overload indicator samples are tested to determine its peak load by placing a continuously increasing load upon each load bearing sample using a Satec Tensile Strength Tester. The data for breaking strength for four overload indicators saw about half way through, about five-eighths way through and about three-quarters way through, respectively, is reported in Tables 5 and 6 below. The data is also plotted against remaining material thickness at the notch in FIG. 31A to generate a best fit line showing the relationship between break strength and remaining material thickness at the notch and against notch depth in FIG. 31B. The data is reported in Table 1 and a plot of the data is shown in Graph 1.

TABLE 5 NOTCHED LINK TESTING WIDTH THICKNESS WIRE OF OF DIA. NOTCH MATERIAL ULT. BREAK (Inches) DEPTH REMAINING PULL TYPE ½ WAY LINK 1 0.391 0.191 0.200 8803 WELD/NOTCH LINK 2 0.391 0.193 0.198 8239 NOTCH LINK 3 0.391 0.195 0.196 9015 NOTCH LINK 4 0.391 0.195 0.196 8215 WELD AVERAGE 0.198 8,568 ⅝ WAY LINK 1 0.391 0.238 0.153 6771 NOTCH LINK 2 0.391 0.246 0.145 6211 NOTCH LINK 3 0.391 0.245 0.146 5888 WELD & NOTCH LINK 4 0.391 0.246 0.145 6106 WELD & NOTCH AVERAGE 0.147 6,244 ¾ WAY LINK 1 0.391 0.289 0.102 5575 WELD & NOTCH LINK 2 0.391 0.291 0.100 5378 NOTCH LINK 3 0.391 0.293 0.098 4967 WELD & NOTCH LINK 4 0.391 0.297 0.094 4119 NOTCH AVERAGE 0.099 5,010

TABLE 6 Test Peak Maximum Size of Load at Counter Load Elongation Sample Break Type Comments Link Grade Offset 21108 8803 3.36 1 WELD & ½ WAY 10 MM P43 8519 NOTCH NOTCH 21109 8239 4.14 2 NOTCH ½ WAY 10 MM P43 7921 NOTCH 21110 9015 2.29 3 NOTCH ½ WAY 10 MM P43 8556 NOTCH 21111 8215 1.76 4 WELD ½ WAY 10 MM P43 7793 NOTCH 21112 5575 2.86 1 WELD & ¾ WAY 10 MM P43 4793 NOTCH NOTCH 21113 5378 5.72 2 NOTCH ¾ WAY 10 MM P43 4652 NOTCH 21114 4967 1.52 3 WELD & ¾ WAY 10 MM P43 4249 NOTCH NOTCH 21115 4119 4.25 4 NOTCH ¾ WAY 10 MM P43 3567 NOTCH 21116 6771 3.47 1 NOTCH ⅝ WAY 10 MM P43 5955 NOTCH 21117 6211 2.73 2 NOTCH ⅝ WAY 10 MM P43 5617 NOTCH 21118 5888 1.61 3 WELD & ⅝ WAY 10 MM P43 5141 NOTCH NOTCH 21119 6106 1.68 4 WELD & ⅝ WAY 10 MM P43 5256 NOTCH NOTCH

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the various embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the manufacture of load bearing devices and overload indicators of the present invention and the various steps of the method of making a load bearing devices, but that this disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of additional component and/or steps in the method of making the various embodiments of the present invention, all within the principles of the present invention, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A load bearing device calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device, the load bearing device comprising: first and second load bearing connectors interconnected by an overload indicator; the overload indicator being calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device; the overload indicator including a strand of wire form material having a weaker segment; wherein the strand of wire form material is calibrated in such a manner as to establish a projected peak weight, which, when borne by the overload indicator, can have sufficient force to break the overload indicator proximate the weaker segment.
 2. A load bearing device calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device, the load bearing device comprising: first and second load bearing connectors interconnected by an overload indicator; the overload indicator being calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds the load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device; the overload indicator including a link comprised of wire form material; the link having first and second portions, the first portion having a first strength; the second portion including a weaker segment having a second strength which is less than the first strength; wherein the weaker segment is calibrated in such a manner as to establish a projected peak weight, which, when borne by the overload indicator, can have sufficient force to break the overload indicator proximate the weaker segment.
 3. The load bearing device of claim 2, wherein the first portion has a connector selected from the group consisting of a disconnectable connector and a welded portion.
 4. The load bearing device of claim 2, wherein the first portion has a greater thickness than the weaker segment.
 5. A load bearing device calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device, the load bearing device comprising: first and second load bearing connectors interconnected by an overload indicator; the overload indicator being calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device; the overload indicator including a link; the link including a strand of wire form material; the strand of wire form material having first and second portions, the first portion having a first strength; the second portion including a weaker segment having a second strength which is less than the first strength, wherein the first portion has a connector selected from the group consisting of a disconnectable connector and a welded portion; wherein the second amount of wire form material is calibrated in such a manner as to establish a projected peak load weight, which, when borne by the overload indicator, can have sufficient force to break the overload indicator proximate the weaker segment.
 6. The load bearing device of claim 5, wherein the first portion has a greater thickness than the weaker segment.
 7. A method of monitoring a load to determine when a peak load has been borne, the method comprising the steps of: providing a load bearing device including first and second load bearing connectors interconnected by an overload indicator; the overload indicator being calibrated to provide an indication of a load borne by the load bearing device that exceeds a load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device; the overload indicator including a link comprised of wire form material; the link having first and second portions, the first portion having a first strength; the second portion including a weaker segment having a second strength which is less than the first strength; wherein the weaker segment is calibrated in such a manner as to establish a projected peak load; and incorporating the load bearing device into a chain intended to bear force due to loads that do not exceed the load bearing capacity established for the load bearing device.
 8. The method of claim 7, in which the first portion has a greater thickness than the weaker segment. 